Byting the Bits
by Monkey Typewriter
Summary: An anti-spyware Program is betrayed by Clu, and sent to the Games. He wants revenge, and losing a few of his Bits along the way is of no concern. He will get his revenge, even if he has to bite the bits. (Expect random updates)
1. Good Intentions

Chapter 1

I walked through the streets of Tron City, walking around the countless other Programs that were heading to the square. Clu had called all of the citizens of Tron City to a great meeting, to be held in the square, to celebrate the decisive victories in the war on Isos. Some of Clu's strongest supporters called out his favorite slogan, "Basics no more!" I joined in.

I looked around. Many other Programs were avoiding me unconsciously. The patterns of energy over my body showed that I was a Security Program, and as many others had, I'd adopted the Red wiring that showed me to be a Program who was joining Clu's armies. I wasn't a true Security Program, however, I was what a User would call, 'Anti-Spyware', or in their society, a Detective, tracking down those Programs that had committed crimes. I had heard a few of these things from Tron, before he had betrayed the Grid and thrown in with Flynn. I was told that he died trying to protect Flynn, in vain, as Clu himself De-rezzed Flynn. Or killed him. Whatever Users called it.

I made my way to the platform. Despite my status as an Anti-Spyware Program, I was working basic Security. Clu was thorough, but he still feared that a few Isos had survived, and were seeking vengeance. I could understand. Sharing this information with the public could cause civil unrest, and that is no way to end a war.

Clu addressed the audience. "Programs!" His voice and face were those of Kevin Flynn's, but his motives were to further Programs, rather then betray his own creations for some... _imperfection_ that sprung up on the Grid. Clu didn't stop. "We are finally free of the Isos. And, to celebrate, I have an announcement. The Games will be re-opening!"

I started, looking at Clu for some kind of joke. Everyone knew that the Games held the highest attrition rate for Programs anywhere on or off the Grid. He must've been kidding. But there was no joke on his face. Only a basking in the shouting, roaring of approval from the crowd. How could Clu do this? I almost personally lost my life, and had lost many friends to the Games! How could he...

The guards around me seized my wrists. They brought me before Clu. "Programs, _This!_" He said with a flourish, putting a hand on my shoulder in a friendly way, "Is Byte! You all remember Byte, who, dozens of cycles ago, finished his final match in the Games with a single arm, winning both his freedom, and his lost limb?!" He yelled the whole time, working the crowd to a fever pitch of excitement. "Well! I am happy and proud to tell you, that this old champion, no, this old _legend! _Will be returning to the Games, to show his love for the Grid, and Tron City!

The crowd roared its approval, even as I shouted my disapproval. How could Clu do this? How? Betraying those that were loyal to him, just to excite a crowd? How?

The guards who had seized me dragged me to an open train nearby. I was tossed in, greeted by dozens of dejected faces, who all looked at my red wiring, and hated me on sight. Making friends, everywhere I go. At least three of them started attacking me, beating the functioning bits out of me. I hit back a few times, knocking a few of them back, but I saw a few of my bits fly out, and one of them drew their Disc.

He started chopping wildly, as the others kept me from fighting back. He continued hacking, bits of data flying from the leg that he'd cut into. He finally hacked through, and my leg collapsed into a pile of glittering red bits. I had screamed throughout the entire process.

The one who had cut into my leg stood, and the others all let me go. I held my de-rezzed leg with one hand as my other sifted through the code bits that once were an appendage. I was vaguely aware of someone saying, "Give the message to Clu." I looked at him.

"I intend to."


	2. Fun and Games

Chapter 2

I was still confused. Why would he throw me back into the Games? I earned my freedom. I wasn't so sure that I could do it twice. After the other Programs hacked off my leg, they backed off. I was left to try and salvage my leg. I gathered all of the Bits that I could, and took out my disk. I wasn't the best at this, but I popped up a three dimensional display of my code, and tried to salvage all of the code from the gathered Bits, and put it into my leg. I only got my leg back from the knee up. I saighed, giving up, and one of the other Programs approached me.

I held my Disc as defensively as I could from the floor, and she actually laughed. "I'm a medic." She stated, not really caring whether or not she helped me. I warily put my Disc away, and she started trying to fix my leg. She kept muttering about how I'd made it worse, and how I was an idiot, and it wouldn't be easy. But despite how unpleasant the sensation of being put together Bit by Bit was, I had a leg again by the end of it.

I nodded to her. "Thank you." She looked at me coldly. "Why are you going to the Games? What did you do." I looked down. "As far as I can tell? Nothing. Clu just wanted to keep the 'Famous Byte' in his place." She didn't look pleased with my response. She faded back into the crowd, and the rest of the ride, none of the Programs interacted with me. When we got there, I was the first to be put into the Games. Clu wasn't playing around either. I was up against three huge Programs, all holding batons. One opened it, getting a sword. The other two got pikes. I, of course, got my Disc.

I could hear the echoing voice of one of Clu's sycophants. "PROGRAMS! Clu promised you a show tonight! And when Clu makes a promise, he keeps it!"

Just like he promised to work with the Isos in the face of Flynn's betrayal? Yeah, what a stand up guy.

"Clu has brought back your former champion, Byte, to show us if he still has his old skills! He will be fighting against three of the strongest Programs that we could find. All of them powerful warriors, and all disloyal! These Programs betrayed Clu, so let us hope that Byte gives them what they deserve!" The crowd roared, and continued shouting until the fight started, and our voices were amplified so anything we said could be heard by all of the Programs.

I didn't want to be Clu's executioner, and told the Programs in front of me so. The crowd booed me, and they responded by laughing and forming a semicircle around me. One said that I was an old program. That i was obsolete. Ah. Now I was fine with being Clu's executioner.

The first one that tried striking at me with his staff, from the left, got his pike stolen and a Disc stabbed into his throat. His head fell off, shattering into bits on impact, and the body fell to its knees before de-rezzing. The one on the right also attacked with a staff, and I easily knocked it from his hands, hitting him multiple times in the head, a few bits flying out with each strike before his entire body de-rezzed.

The last one, with the sword took longer. Not because he was better, but because he dropped his sword, running to the other side of the stage. I stopped chasing him after a while, throwing the staff in my hands like a spear, impaling him in the chest as he de-rezzed. The crowd roared again, and I advanced in the Games. The next three matches went the same way. And I got tired throughout. De-rezzing Programs was not what I enjoyed. I prefered saving them.

But Clu took that choice away from me. And I intended to pay him back.


	3. The Enemy of my Enemy

Chapter 3

After the last Program from the semi-finals round was de-rezzed, I found myself against a Program with combat ready armor. He had a full-faced mask, solid black. The Program's Disc was in hand, and seemed ready for battle. I took out my own Disc, covering my head with a mask of my own. My Wiring was different from the other Program's. I was still the red of Clu-loyal Programs. And as soon as I earned my freedom, I'd change that.

Clu's booming voice could be heard over the crowd. His words were... disturbing.

"Programs! Before you stands two combatants ready to do battle, for the security, of our beloved Grid! One you all know well. He has been a champion and guardian to Basics everywhere for many cycles. But we are Basics no longer. Before you, and Byte's opponent, is Reba. THE LAST OF THE ISOS!" Those word struck a cord with me. I didn't quite trust the Isos. Flynn had trusted and obsessed over them. But their instability caused the Abraxas virus. They usurped order and perfection. But who was the lesser of two evils? Clu, or the Iso that I was about to battle to the de-resolution.

With a thought, I retracted my mask. I looked at the crowd. Then I looked at the Iso.

The mask pulled back to reveal a female Program. She had the Iso mark on her cheek. It was a wonder that she'd survived as long as she had, with how obvious her mark was. I sighed, and put my Disc back on my back. She remained battle-ready.

"Look, Iso... Reba, I don't want to fight. Clu back-stabbed me and placed me here. If you're good enough to be last round material, you're good enough to work with. So? Partners?"

She smiled, and flicked her wrist, sending her Disc at my head. I leapt over it, managing to bat it to the ground. She frowned and backed up. I picked up her Disc, and lobbed it to her in a way that couldn't be considered threatening. She caught it, and sent it at me a second time. This time I didn't have time to prepare for fancy shenanigans. I ducked, and waited for her to catch her Disc. Before she threw it again, I held up my hand. "So, not as good as I thought. Oh well. A functioning Iso is worth it just to spite Clu. Oh, and throw that Disc at me again, and I respond in kind."

She looked shocked by this. She held her Disc up, and slashed through the glass on one of the walls. I followed suit, and climbed a top the cage that we were fighting in. "Deal?" I asked her. "Deal." She responded. It was a lie. I always knew what a Program did when they lied, and in many regards, especially behavior, Isos acted the same way. It had many common tells for Programs. Slight Energy fluctuation, short flash in the Wiring... plus she seemed guilty.

Regardless, she'd have to go a certain distance to make the double-cross benefit her. So I could trust her, for the moment. I walked to her, encased in the glass Game-Grid box that we were. She still looked wary, so I was the first to stick out my hand to her. She hesitantly took it. As we shook, her white wiring clashed with mine. The Red began to recede, leaving the Blue Wiring of most Programs in its place. I smiled to see it come back, when the deleted files struck me... What a User would call 'forgotten memories.' They invaded my head, and forced me to my knees as the memories took over. I wasn't in the moment anymore, I was in a different time. More then a few cycles ago.

_I was struggling, fighting the crowd of Red Programs, trying to fight my way to Tron's side, to help him._ _It didn't matter if I died. I was just an Anti-Virus and Anti-Spyware Program. But him... He was Tron. He was a symbol, a champion. The very city that I stood in was named after him. And he was more important then me._

_But I saw Tron go down, and searched the unforgiving, masked faces of his attackers, and those around me. I saw a female Program drag another Security Program, the very one that Tron had trained earlier today, away from the scene, and I surrendered. I hated myself for it. But there was no way that I could win. Whoever commanded these Programs... they were to good. They knew the System too well for me. I was dragged away, and was forced into a small, clear chamber. I saw other Programs outside, working computers, and other Programs in similar tubes, all struggling..._

"Hey, Program! I could use some help!" I looked up from my position on my hands and knees to see my 'ally' held by a Black Guard, a Disc to her throat, as six other Guards advanced cautiously towards me. I stood weakly, and smiled through the weakness, in a failed attempt to reach the Programs behind the masks.

"If you don't let her go, I'll have to channel a bit of Tron here and beat the living Bits out of all of you.


End file.
